One Last Fight
by GhostiesandGhoulies
Summary: Ed is dying, slowly but surely. Everyone tries to convince themselves that he will somehow come through and live but as time progresses and he gets weaker, they can't deny the inevitable truth. As the winter months come, Edward takes a turn for the worst. His only wish is to make it to the holidays and be with his family and friends, but can he hold out that long? Parental Roy/Ed.
1. Ed and Roy

**Hey there all! I have been reading a lot of Fullmetal Alchemist fics and was inspired to write my own. This is my first attempt at an FMA fanfiction, so be nice please? That would be appreciated!**

**Warning: There is foul language, nothing too unusual for the characters though. **

**Fullmetal Alchemist belongs to Hiromu Arakawa, not me!**

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Edward let out a painful cough, subconsciously clutching at his chest as he did so. Settling back into the chair he was sitting in, he ignored the dark probing eyes from across the room... Or at least he tried to. The golden blonde groaned and glared at the ceiling, feeling too weak to glare at the person. "Calm down Colonel Bastard," he said, "just another cough, nothing more."

The said man scoffed, "Don't hand me that bullshit Fullmetal, we both know what 'just another cough' could turn into." After a moment he glared at the other, "And it's not Colonel anymore, hasn't been for awhile."

Ed let out a quiet laugh, "That's right.. I keep forgetting; it's Führer Bastard now, right?" He blatantly ignored Mustang's other comment, not wanting to get into yet another fight over his health with the man. He didn't want to keep bringing it up anyway, he could feel his body getting weaker as the days passed, he didn't need people to keep reminding him. After thinking this over he scowled and voice his complaints to the dark haired man. "Please don't bring that up..." he whispered out, "it's not like I like being reminded that I'm... dying."

Mustang's eyes shot to the younger man. He instantly felt guilty, he hadn't thought about it in that aspect.

Ed felt his hold on his emotions breaking up and he bit his lip to try and hold things together. Warm, strong arms wrapped around him and held him as his eyes began watering. Both had been happening a lot more in recent times. He huddled into Mustang's embrace and released his pent up emotions. He hated himself for being weak but he knew that he couldn't do anything about it. His body was giving out on him, a repercussion of playing the game of Equivalent Exchange with the Gate. He choked at the thought, _equivalent exchange my ass_. Two years he had suffered but yet his body had not given out on him yet, a miracle in itself. The more he thought about it however, the more he realized that this was just another price of trying to play God. It seemed that no matter what, the Gate always won the game.

The dark haired Führer held the blonde carefully. He was at a complete loss at what to do anymore; they had seen doctors but they had all said the same thing; Edward was dying and no one could stop it. The only thing any of them had had to offer was some pain medications to try and ease the pain they said Ed must be in.

Mustang grimaced as he thought back to when the boy had broken the news to them. Ed had known going into the Gate to retrieve Alphonse that he would probably end up dying from something; he was no stranger to the games that Truth played on people who crossed its path after all. His thoughts snapped back to the present as he felt Ed's trembling stop, he pulled back and studied the other's moist and worn out face with pity. "You okay now," he asked quietly.

Ed nodded lightly and rubbed his face. "Sorry about that," he murmured after a moment.

"Don't be Ful-.. Ed, you needed that," Mustang replied. He understood all too well how much certain things were needed at times, Hughes had opened his eyes a little more to the subject though.

Mentally, Edward sang his thanks to Mustang for not only deciding to be his caretaker and room mate but to also be his guardian. Sure he was 20 now but he liked being cared for by a father figure, it was refreshing. Even though before he had resented the idea of rooming with the cocky Führer, he now appreciated him more than ever. He had gotten in a few snags and Roy had been there every step of the way, helping him up or to the hospital. Yes, even though he'd have to be on his deathbed to say his thanks, he would make sure that the man knew of his appreciation.

"-ward! ED!"

The blonde blinked at the rising voice and looked up curiously at the dark haired Führer, "Were you talking to me?"

Roy let out an exasperated sigh, "Yes, glad I have your attention now Fullmetal."

Ed frowned slightly at the nickname, "If I have to call you Führer, then you have to call me by my name... I haven't worked for the military in 2 years, I'm not Fullmetal anymore." It wasn't that he minded being remembered by his former glory, but it was a reminder of the past and the past wasn't entirely happy.

"Right," Mustang relented, "Edward then, sorry for my forgetfulness.."

The said man shrugged, "I can make an exception for you I suppose, I still call you bastard after all. Plus I still respond to either name... Old habits really die hard, huh?"

The dark haired Führer made a grunt of agreement.

There was a momentary comfortable silence and then there came a soft knock on the door.

For an instant, molten gold eyes met charcoal. There was a silent communication between the two men and then another knock on the door.

"Führer, sir, there are some things we need to attend to," a voice sounded, "It will only take an hour at most but if you do them now you can have a few days of not worrying about anything."

"Hawkeye," Mustang murmured. Going to the door he let in the said woman so she wouldn't have to wait outside.

Per usual the woman had a small stack of papers in hand and appeared slightly flustered. She gave Edward a wave in greeting, "Hello Edward, it's good to see you up and about." The last couple of times she had visited, she had had to visit the elder Elric brother on his bed because he had been too weak to get up.

Ed gave her a tired smile and a returning wave, "Hey Riza, good to see you too. I felt a little stronger today so I got out of bed.. Yay!"

Hawkeye returned the smile after a moment, "Good, I hope things continue to get better for you." She secretly encased another message, hoping the intelligent man would be able to pick up on it.

The golden blonde nodded slightly at the message.

_I'm glad you're not on your way out and that it is just a phase._

"Me too," Ed commented quietly.

At that point Mustang emerged from his bedroom, dressed to head out into the chilly weather. He sighed and grabbed his coat, noting the heavy wool coat over Riza's shoulders. "Is it really that cold out, Riza," he questioned while tugging on his coat.

The woman nodded, "Yes sir, winter is on its way after all. One of the thermometers I checked before I left read somewhere around 45 degrees Fahrenheit."

Both men present shuddered.

Ed subconsciously rubbed lightly on his automail joints, not looking forward to the coming winter. Any person with automail could tell you that the cold does nothing for them, neither the rain. For a person with automail, the cold and wet made a pain equivalent to arthritis. It wasn't fun for anyone.

After checking his pockets, Mustang nodded to himself and turned to Ed, "Will you be okay for an hour or so or should I call over Hughes?"

Edward blinked and then waved the offer away, "Nah, I'll be fine... Just.. come back as soon as you can, ok? I don't like to risk me being alone." It seemed like whenever he did happen to be alone, for any measure of time something bad happened.

Roy smiled softly and knelt down in front of the man. He grasped his shoulders and met his golden eyes, "Don't worry Ed, I'll be back as fast as I can." His words sealed a promise he didn't intend to break.

The blonde smiled back and nodded as the dark haired man left with Riza to run errands. As the door shut, Ed felt his unease triple. He recognized the signs all too well, he was going to have another attack of some kind. He mentally berated himself for being left alone, he should have had Mustang call Hughes. With fear in his gut he could only wait as the signs became more prominent. What would it be this time, he wondered. A seizure? A coughing fit? Vomiting? All of them had happened before, he only hoped it was something minor.

As the world around him began to blur, he realized which one it was and could only mentally panic as he fell from his chair onto the floor. Darkness took over his vision and he knew nothing more.

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**Hey! Thanks for reading chapter 1! How was it? Good, bad, meh? Tell me in a review, if you want! I plan to continue this in the next chapter. Thanks again for reading!**

**~Ghosties**


	2. Memories

**Hello again readers! Here is the next chapter of this story, sorry about the shortness of that first chapter; it's kind of an introductory thing. Hope you enjoy this next chapter. Fair announcement: ALL CHARACTERS WILL BE SLIGHTLY OOC! Just putting that out there.**

**Warning: There is foul language, nothing too unusual for the characters though.**

**~HEY LOOK HERE~**

**PLEASE READ! I didn't directly address this in the last chapter, so I edited it slightly, but this has been going on for two years already, we're just jumping in on the last year here. Sorry for that discrepancy. **

**~Okay! Thanks for your attention~**

**Fullmetal Alchemist belongs to Hiromu Arakawa, not me!**

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When Ed 'woke up' he was overwhelmed with sounds, voices and flashing images. Confusion spread through him as the volume increased. He cried out and covered his ears, when one voice rang out clearer than everything else.

_Are you sure about this Brother?_

His eyes widened a certain memory overtook his vision.

_~Flashback~_

_'Honestly, Al... not really.'_

_Alphonse looked at his brother nervously, 'What do you mean?'_

_Ed smiled weakly at the suit of armor that was his little brother, 'The last time you asked me that question we were trying to bring back mom and look what happened then. I'm just being honest with you this time.' He looked back at the transmutation circle before them. It was kind of a last ditch effort on his part, they had researched for years about how to get their bodies back without using a philosopher's stone but there was just no known way._

_But having no hope or any kind had never stopped the Elric brothers before and it wasn't about to stop them now. The method they were going to try wasn't too far fetched in what may happen but Ed was not getting his hopes up now. He had managed to get his hands on two dead prisoner's bodies, figuring it was about the equivalent weight of their bodies. Mentally he had his doubts but he was running out of strings to draw from._

_Taking a deep breath he looked over to his brother, 'Ready Al?'_

_The suit of armor let out a sigh and nodded hesitantly._

_Ed clapped his hands and slammed them to the ground. White enveloped his vision and when he blinked he was met with the sight of Truth smiling at him._

_**Well hello Edward, I didn't think I'd see you again so soon!**_

_He grit his teeth and glared, 'I'm just here to get our bodies back, that's all and I already gave you the toll!'_

_The white figure's smile turned evil. **Now Edward do you honestly expect me to take two dead bodies for your your two living bodies?** It shook it's head at him, **You must still not know just who you are dealing with. I'll let your brother go for the two bodies but what do I get from you to make sure I let him go?**_

_Ed glared harder at the figure. No matter what he did, Truth always played a game with him. He was glad he was letting Al go but, what was he to give? After thinking about it he answered, 'Alright, you can keep my arm and leg, I'll manage without them.'_

_A smirk came from Truth,** Is that all I get Edward? I think I need a little more.**_

_It was in that moment he realized what the being was hinting at. Ed was resolute however, he was not leaving unless he was positive Alphonse would get out unscathed. 'Fine,' he said, 'take it.'_

_The pure white being nodded and smiled, **A pleasure doing business with you Edward Elric...**_

_With a final glare, Ed turned and headed back to the land of the living._

_~End Flashback~  
_

Ed let out a gasp as the memory faded. Pain made itself known in his chest and it knocked his breath away. He clutched at his chest as he struggled to breathe, what the hell was going on?

"Ed!"

The blonde looked up and was met with the sight of Mustang rushing to his side. He tried to say something but all that came out was a painful cough. His hand flew to his mouth as a coughing fit overtook him. When it finally subsided he pulled his hand away to be greeted by the familiar sigh of blood covering his palm. He groaned and stumbled out of the bed towards the bathroom, feeling the next onslaught of coughs coming.

As he reached the bathroom he went straight to the toilet, violently throwing up.

"Jesus Ed," Mustang exclaimed from the doorway.

Ed looked at him wearily and went to say something again but was interrupted by another coughing fit.

His dark haired companion winced at the sound and readied a wet cloth for the coughing blonde, knowing full well he'd want to clean up as soon as he could. As his momentary thoughts ended, he realized the room had gone quiet. His dark eyes flew to the younger man but softened upon the sight of the other. Wringing out the cloth he knelt down in front of Ed and wiped his face, ridding of the blood on his lips. He also grabbed Ed's flesh hand and wiped the blood from there too. "Jeez Ed," he commented quietly, "A seizure, two coughing fits and vomiting all in one day? What next?"

Ed chuckled dryly, absently rubbing at his chest, "It's not like I ask for it Roy..." He looked up at the older man in confusion, "Wait, a seizure?"

Roy's face turned grim, "Yes, not long after we left... The good news is that you didn't hit your head on anything, you might be in a coma had that happened." He involuntarily shuddered at the thought. He stood up and went to flush the toilet of its contents when he froze.

Noting the movement, the blonde alchemist sighed, "What now Führer Bastard?"

The older man's voice was sharp, "How long have you been throwing up blood..?"

It was Ed's turn to freeze up, he suddenly found the floor very interesting, "Not too long..." Mentally he scolded himself, how could he have let Mustang of all people see it?

Roy glared hard at the younger man, "And how long is 'not too long' Fullmetal?"

Ed flinched and brought his knees to his chest, trying to become as small as possible. He couldn't answer, he would never tell just how long it had been. He was surprised when the dark haired Führer let out a long sigh and patted his head gently.

Throwing the dirtied cloth into the sink and flushing the toilet, Roy slid down the wall to sit beside Ed. He looked over at him and placed a hand on the younger's shoulder, "You know I worry about you Ed... you have to tell me these things so I can try and help you."

Edward gave a small nod in acknowledgment and briefly met eyes with the man beside him, "Sorry..."

It was so quiet that Roy almost missed it. Giving a small smile he patted the boy's shoulder to kind of brush it off.

The two sat there in silence for awhile more before Roy insisted that Edward get back into bed. As Ed tried to stand however, it became evident that Roy would have to carry him there. Without a moment's hesitation he hoisted Ed up into his arms and carried him to his bedroom. Ed, for once, gave no complaints and simply let the older man carry him; feeling too weak to fight him.

Roy gently lowered the younger man onto the bed, making sure not to jostle him in fear of starting another coughing fit. After making sure he was situated he asked, "You need anything before Alphonse and Winry get here?"

Ed's eyes narrowed, "Al and Winry are coming over?" He didn't want them here, he was well aware of how terrible he looked; they shouldn't see him like this.

Roy's eyes narrowed too, "Yes, Ed; they should be over within the hour..." He looked away then, eyes sad, "They're worried about you too..."

Guilt settled into Ed's molten gold eyes and he too looked away, ashamed of making people worry about him. _Maybe if I tell him about what's going on more, he'll ease up_, Ed thought. "I had a weird dream," he said suddenly.

The Flame Alchemist turned back to the man on the bed and gave him a bewildered look, "...What?"

Ed stared at the bed sheepishly, clearly embarrassed, "I had a weird dream... well it wasn't really a dream it was more like a memory but it was still weird because it just came out of nowhere and it got me thinking about when I got Al's body back and that entire day basi-" A hand over his mouth quieted him.

Roy smirked slightly, "Just tell me what you dreamed about." With that he removed his hand and sat down in a nearby chair, waiting for the other to speak.

Letting go of his pride momentarily, Ed sighed, "I dreamt about that day... two years ago when I got Al's body back."

Roy's eyebrows rose in mild surprise, "Oh?"

Knowing he could leave it at that, Ed delved deeper. He nodded and continued, "Yeah.. it was weird.. I don't even know why it came up all of a sudden. I haven't thought back to that day in awhile." Truth be told, he hadn't told anyone about what had happened in the Gate, not even Alphonse.

Leaning forward, Roy spoke, "Do I finally get to learn of what happened to you in the Gate, Edward?" The only thing he had managed to learn, on that day, was that Alphonse had been the first back and had panicked when Ed had remained unconscious for awhile longer. Ed had eventually woken up himself but Al had made mention that he appeared extremely exhausted when he did. Ed had remained tight lipped about the whole ordeal, only telling the necessary parts; much to the annoyance of.. well everyone really.

Roy shook his head clear and waited to see if Edward would open up and tell him or not.

"...There's really not much else to tell," Ed finally said quietly, "You know basically everything.. I just had a small talk with Truth, that's all." When Roy didn't speak he looked at him and sighed, "I'm not telling you about the conversation, so forget it."

Well, Roy relented, he had gotten a smidgen of information from the younger man, might as well leave it at baby steps. "Fine," he said, standing, "I'll be out in the living room, if you need me. Al and Winry should be here in about 45 minutes at least." With that he exited the bedroom.

Ed watched the doorway for awhile longer before settling into the pillows, planning on taking a nap before the others got there. _I can't tell him yet_, Ed told himself, _not yet_.

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**There we are! Another chapter down! R&R if you want! Thanks for reading!**

**~Ghosties**


	3. Changes and Confessions

**Hello again readers! Here is the next chapter of this story, sorry about the shortness of that first chapter; it's kind of an introductory thing. I am also sorry this took so long, an unfortunate event happened recently and I had difficulty writing.**

**Hope you enjoy this next chapter. Fair announcement: ALL CHARACTERS WILL BE SLIGHTLY OOC! Just putting that out there. This features Parental Roy/Ed and Al/Winry.**

**Warning: There is foul language, nothing too unusual for the characters though.**

**Fullmetal Alchemist belongs to Hiromu Arakawa, not me!**

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The sound of multiple people talking woke Ed from his slumber. He groaned and opened his eyes, noting that his body felt like a giant lead weight. Looking around the room, he concluded the voices were coming from outside of his room. Letting out another small groan he forced himself into a sitting position and shivered as the blankets he was under slid from his shoulders.

With shaky and slow movements he slid his legs over the side of the bed and readied himself to stand. He bit his lip and heaved himself to his feet, holding his head as black spots appeared in his vision. As the invertigo faded he made his way to the door, heading for the living room. Ed's progress was slow but eventually he found himself in the entrance of the living room.

Al, Winry and Roy were talking amongst themselves, Al was the first to look up. His face broke out into a brilliant smile and he quickly made his way over to Ed, "Brother, you're awake!"

Ed returned a weak smile, leaning into the offered embrace. It had been awhile since he had last seen his brother and it felt good to have him around again.

Alphonse pulled away and eyed his elder brother carefully. Immediately Al noticed the changes in Ed's appearance from his last visit; his face was pale and worn, his eyes were tired, his hair was dull and limp. He bit his lip and brought Ed in for another hug, not letting him see his worried face.

Ed accepted the second hug without complaint, hugging back this time. He didn't have to be a genius to figure out that Al was positively terrified, he could feel his brother's unease and worry coming off of him in waves. He let out a small sigh and whispered the words he knew Alphonse would not want to hear, "It's getting worse."

Al's grip around Edward's body tightened, his posture stiff. He had feared the day when his brother might utter such words but it was here. For two years nothing much had really happened but now in just a few weeks things had taken a turn from alright to really bad. He couldn't answer, what could he even say to that? Ed's words had contained another meaning to; I'm probably not going to make it much longer. That thought terrified him to no end. It was too soon, Ed was too young to leave the world behind yet.

He registered that Ed had shifted his position and concluded that he was probably uncomfortable. Pulling away he offered a weak smile, "Oh well, we'll just have to make the best of the time given to us."

Ed smiled back and nodded. He grasped his younger brother's shoulder briefly and then moved to the couch to greet Winry. When he reached the woman he was surprised to see how big her stomach had gotten. "Wow," he remarked, "It's only been, what? 4 months and you're already so big?"

Winry smiled gently and patted the empty spot to her left, "Yeah, we're almost wondering if I have twins this time around."

The elder Elric shrugged, "Could be, I think Mom came from a family that was predominantly made of twins. I wouldn't be surprised if the gene skipped a few generations." His gold eyes searched the couch for something, "Hey where's Sara?"

Winry looked surprised for only a moment and then she smiled and pointed at a small gathering of blankets on the opposite couch.

Ed followed her point and smiled softly, quietly rising and moving towards the small ball. Ever so gently, and as not to irritate his chest he lifted the ball of blankets into his arms and sat beside Mustang; cradling the ball the entire time. Everything fell away as he focused on the sleeping face of his niece. He brushed some bangs from her face and smiled again.

As if sensing that something had changed, the small girl in his arms wriggled and then opened her eyes slightly. She looked around sleepily and then blinked when she noted she was being held. She met Ed's eyes and smiled, "Uncle Ed..."

Ed's smile grew, "Hey sleepyhead!"

Sara's beamed and leapt up, giving Ed a long hug. "I missed you uncle Ed," she whispered, clutching to him tightly.

Ed felt his eyes tear up at that statement. His head filled with thoughts of how she would feel when he did pass away. Images of her bright eyes dulled with sorrow and grief stopped his heart. He held her closer, not wanting her to see his no doubt visible emotions. "I m-missed you too Sara," he finally responded.

Al felt a strike of sympathy towards his bother. To face the coming days all the while knowing that you're going to die at any time seemed too hard for any one man to go through. He didn't know how Ed could even get up in the mornings knowing that any day could be his last.

Ed felt his brother's gaze and met it slowly, their eyes conveying a silent conversation. He reluctantly pulled away from his little niece and pasted a smile on his face. "Thanks for that nice hug darling, I'm going to go talk to your daddy for a little bit now and then we can have some cookies, ok?" He could practically feel the questions Al had for him even though he didn't know why the younger would have any questions. He set the girl on the couch and patted her head, motioning for Al to follow him to the balcony so they could speak in private.

Once he had closed the glass door behind him, Ed faced his little brother and let out a sigh. Wanting to prolong the inevitable, he smiled and leaned forward on the railing, "She's really growing up..."

Alphonse knew he was stalling but went with it, "Yeah, Winry worries about not being able to handle two of them. I told her that after making it so far with Sara that we could get past anything."

Silence passed between the two, leaving a moment of preparation for Edward.

Al shifted and then asked the one question that Ed had been waiting for, "Why...?"

Immediately Ed lowered his gaze, feeling ashamed.

"Why didn't you tell me you were getting worse Ed? Why did you wait until today?"

He too shifted and then answered, "You have a family now Alphonse. A wife and child who need your love and attention... You can't spend every waking moment worrying about me... besides I wi-"

"The hell I can't," Al interrupted, anger sparking in his eyes.

Ed looked at him fully and scowled, "You can't Al, remember what Mom always told us? Family first."

Al looked hurt, "You _are_ family, brother... You're just as important to me as Winry and Sara."

The elder Elric was silent.

"Besides... isn't that the job of the younger siblings," Al continued quietly, "to worry about what stupid things their older siblings will do?" He sighed and brushed his bangs out of his eyes, no doubt trying to get over his small bout of anger.

Ed looked remorseful, "I shouldn't be the object of your worry."

Alphonse noticed the change of mood quickly and he made his brother look at him, "But you are and you can't change that. I worry about you every single day because I don't know how long it'll be until I can't visit _you_ anymore... We don't know when you'll..." He left off the word, knowing that Ed filled in the blanks in his mind. He shook his head, turning away. "I don't know how long it may be until I visit your grave..." The mere thought scared him.

How long would it be? Edward had managed to escape his inevitable death for two long years but the new weaknesses and bouts of illness were beginning to leave a mark on the elder Elric. Alphonse would have to be a fool not to notice how Ed's once graceful and confident stride had turned weak and unsure, or how his once shiny golden hair had dimmed in color and had even become dull looking. He was no fool, he could see the signs that something was happening and it was not for the better. His mind endlessly thought of worse-case scenarios and possible freak accidents that could take his brother away from him; every moment of everyday.

"I...I don't want to lose you brother..."

That simple sentence struck Ed's heart with a sorrowful chord. He realized that Al was confessing to him just how insecure and fearful he was of this entire situation. He gathered his brother into a hug and tried to push back a sudden wave of emotion. "You won't ever lose me Al..." he said sincerely, "even if I d-die I'll always watch over you."

Al returned the hug tightly, drinking in the comfort as it came to him. He wanted to believe it, he really did.

After quite awhile, Ed backed away. He eyed the other carefully and let out a breath, "Come on, we need to get back inside. It's cold out here and my adrenaline is fading, I'm feeling a little weak."

Alphonse nodded without any hesitation and followed his brother back inside, his fears consoled for now.

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**There you are. Another chapter down. Hopefully the next one will not take as long. My best friend passed away recently and it's been hard for me to get any inspiration to write anything. RIP SonicStories101 **

**See you all next time.**


	4. I Saw Her, Al

**Greetings. Here is the next installment of this story. I hope it is to everyone's liking thus far. **

**PLEASE READ : I know some of you aren't fans of AlxWinry and honestly I'm not really either but I didn't want to write about a broken hearted Winry because that makes me sad sooo I paired her with Al. I'll try to keep the moments between the two brief.**

**Fullmetal Alchemist belongs to Hiromu Arakawa not me.**

* * *

The two brothers had settled inside, away from the outside chill and closer to the warmth of their company. True to what he had told Alphonse, Edward settled on the couch, feeling weary. He let out a sigh and looked to Roy, "Hey Roy, can you go get a blanket or something please?"

With a nod, Roy stood and disappeared down the hallway.

Ed let his head fall into the cushions, shutting his eyes. He could feel Winry and Al's eyes upon him but he tried not to mind it too much. When something heavy fell upon him he snapped his eyes open only to find Roy smoothing out one of the heavier blankets on him. He offered a weak smile and said his thanks, tiredly huddling into the blanket.

He let a his eyes fall shut to rest them when he felt Winry's gentle touch running over his head. It wasn't often that she did small things like that for him, so he relished in every moment. Ed began to feel more and more relaxed, his body going limp with relief. As the world fell away to sleep, all he could register was the soft hand upon his head and the quiet murmuring of voices.

_Ed was dimly aware of his surroundings, the hand running through his hair was still there but there was the soft sound of someone humming. Why was Winry humming? He slowly began waking his tired mind, getting closer to consciousness. The song was very familiar, a song that he hadn't heard since he had been a child._

_His mind eventually registered was that he felt lighter, not weighted down by his automail nor his sickness. It was slightly unnerving, it felt too much like being in the Gate. Ed decided it was time to wake up and find out what was going on. He forced his eyes to open. The sight he was met with made his heart skip._

_Light chestnut hair strung in a loose ponytail hung down, shining hazel eyes looked out into the distance. A small smile that so warm and familiar that Ed felt his heart clench painfully._

_"M-Mom...?"_

_Trisha looked down towards him and smiled softly, "Hello Edward..."_

_Ed pulled himself to a sitting position, turning to face her. He was sure that shock had to be present on his face, "W-What are you... how is this po-" A finger on his lips silenced him._

_Trisha's smile had turned sad, "Don't worry about that honey, just worry about feeling better and waking to see_

_ your loved ones again." She let her hand fall from his lips, going to grasp one of his hands instead, "I get so worried about you and your brother up here... Knowing that I can't help you through your pains or sicknesses. You have no idea how stressful that is for me. I look down on you two constantly, hoping that the day won't bring you trouble..."_

_Ed felt lost, his mother's eyes swam with worry, unease and hurt. It was so unlike her that all he could do was listen to her tell him of her fears. He tightened the hold their hands had, trying to show her that he was sorry. He then noticed that she had gone silent. He looked up and met her eyes._

_Trisha wiped at her eyes, clearly trying to fight tears, "You've both grown up so much since I left you..."_

_Ed felt his own emotions becoming a problem so he brought her in for a hug, trying to hide his own tears. "I missed you mom..."_

_"I missed you too Edward," came the saddened reply._

_They stayed like that awhile longer until at long last Trisha pulled away, wiping the few remaining tears from her face. "I'm sorry I left you and Alphonse to fend for yourselves in the world, I never have gotten over the guilt. I gave up on life when I caught the fever and I'm sorry..."_

_Ed brought their foreheads together, "I.. I never blamed you, not once... If anything I blamed.. Hohenheim because you kept longing to see him and when you needed him most he didn't come." He felt ashamed of having thought that now but what else was he supposed to think?_

_Trisha smiled gently, "I can understand that, you needn't be ashamed of such ideas. You were still a child when I passed after all." Her hazel eyes glimmered with emotion, "I am sorry you and Alphonse had to go through that, I didn't want to leave but it was my time..." She patted his hand and kissed his forehead, "I want to talk more but I have to go for now, Edward. I enjoyed this time we had. But you need to wake up, you've gotten a fearsome fever and your friends are worried."_

_Ed started at that, "What?"_

_"Yes, you have gotten another fever, it's a bad one this time. So try and wake up and relieve them of their worry."_

_Ed nodded and began to fade from the peaceful atmosphere, "Mom... I-"_

_Trisha shook her head, "I know, honey.."_

_He smiled sheepishly and faded away._

_Trisha allowed herself another smile, "I love you too, Edward..."_

Edward moaned as he felt the pains of his body come back to him. He rolled his head, trying to focus on his surroundings again. He blearily opened his eyes, his sight feeling hazy. Alphonse was hovering over him, saying something but Ed couldn't hear words. And since he could hear nothing he went ahead and spoke himself, "I saw her Al... I saw mom..."

And though his eyes were sliding shut, he could just make out the look of horror that marred Al's features. Then everything faded away.

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**Well, that was interesting. Shorter than I like but it was something, don't hate?**


	5. Fever

**Hullo again friends. I am sorry for the AlxWinry pairing, I don't really like it either but again I didn't want to write about Winry being sad. Anyway, hope you can forgive that and keep reading! Thanks for the support, it means a lot to me.**

**Fullmetal Alchemist belongs to Hiromu Arakawa.**

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Al could only watch helplessly as his brother slipped back into unconsciousness, looking more at peace than he had in years. What did it mean if he had seen their mother? Did that mean that he was close to death? The questions whirled around in his head, bringing up insecurities and panic. He feared the worse and his brother's newly developed but vicious fever wasn't helping.

"Did he wake up? Winry and I heard someone speaking," a voice called from behind.

Al jumped but settled himself quickly, knowing it was only the Führer. "Yeah for a minute but he just went under again," he said quietly.

Roy knelt down by him and felt Edward's forehead, a troubled look upon his face. "I'm getting worried this time," he said after a moment.

Alphonse tried to read the hidden emotion in the man's eyes but failed, "Why? He's had fevers before..."

The older man nodded and stood, "Yes he has but the speed at which this one developed and how high it is is startling, it's never been so high."

Al would be lying to himself if he said he wasn't terrified. He hadn't been around his older brother for all the times he had been sick but if Roy was saying it was bad, then it had to be.

"Mom..."

The pained moan from his brother made him and Roy look down. Edward was rolling his head about, looking like he was in pain. Al felt a pang of sympathy hit him.

Roy merely looked on, brows furrowed, "We'll keep a close eye on his temperature, if it gets worse we'll take him to the hospital."

All Alphonse could do was nod, he knew how much Ed hated hospitals but if things got worse than they were, they would have no choice. If there was one thing all of Ed's close friends had learned over the past 2 years it was that when Ed got sick, expect the unexpected.

"C'mon Al," a hand was placed on his shoulder, "you need to eat, Winry insisted on waiting for you."

With a small sigh he reluctantly left his brother's side.

Roy fixed the elder brother's blanket and made sure he was comfortable. With one final check, he too left.

After they had finished dinner, Al and Roy went back out to Edward, checking him over carefully. Roy found that Ed's temperature had risen a few more degrees.

Al sighed, "I don't know what to do..."

Roy shrugged, "All we can really do is wait and see if things get better or not."

The two men remained silent for a time before Alphonse spoke again. "I guess we should get going, I need to get a hotel room for us," he stood and began heading for the kitchen when Roy stopped him.

"Wait, just take the master bedroom," he said, standing too.

Al whipped around, "What...?"

Roy quirked a worn smile, "I said take the master bedroom, it can fit you, Winry and Sara all in the same bed."

"But what about you?"

The smile faded, Roy's tired look coming back, "I don't think I'll be using it tonight..."

Alphonse realized quickly what he meant, he was going to stay awake and make sure Ed's fever didn't get too out of hand. He tried to convince the older man one last time to do otherwise, "But..."

Roy stood tall and looked directly at Alphonse, "That's an order Al."

Even though his voice was dead serious, Alphonse could see the hidden playfulness in his eyes. He smiled appreciatively and bowed slightly, "Undestood Führer, thank you."

Roy merely nodded and turned hid back, "Is that all Alphonse?"

"Yes sir."

"Good, be on your way then, tomorrow will come sooner than you think."

"Sir," Al replied and turned to fetch Winry and head to bed, "thank you Führer."

~Later that night~

It was very late, all was quiet in the Führer's house. Alphonse awoke suddenly, feeling as though something were wrong. He immediately went to the living room where Roy and Ed were supposed to be but found no one. Panic began to rise up within him, what if something terrible had happened? It was then he saw the note on the couch where Ed had been laying.

The handwriting was scribbled, clearly done in a hurry. It read:

_Fever got much worse. Taking Ed to nearest hosital. Hawkeye will come if things take a turn for the worst. Left at 3:47._  
_-Mustang_

Immediately he checked the clock; 5:34. Dread filled Al, the fever had gotten worse and he had been sleeping. Sleeping! He had to reread the last sentence, was Roy trying to tell him that he thought this might be it? He hated to think so but he knew this sickness was going to be a bad one.

Alphonse knew that anymore sleep would be impossible so he instead headed into the kitchen to fix himself some coffee. He couldn't stop his worry for his brother from flooding his thoughts. It was a scary proposition for this to be the end of his brother's life. Over their years of traveling there had been many times where he had thought his brother had been lost but Edward has always pulled through, this time he wasn't so sure. He knew his brother wouldn't give up without a fight, but Ed had already been fighting death for two years; Al couldn't help but wonder how long a single man could fight off the inevitable.

Before anymore such thoughts could consume him, the front door opened to reveal Hawkeye.

Alphonse stood and the words came before he could stop them, "Oh shit..."

Hawkeye's face was grim, "Yes. Things have gotten worse. His fever reached 104.6, they got worried so they moved him into ICU."

Alphonse ran a hand though his hair and collasped on the couch, clutching his head. "W-What if this is it Hawkeye," he asked, "what if he dies from this...?"

Hawkeyes was quiet a moment before she knelt down in front of Alphonse, "If I were in your shoes I would go to the hospital and be with him. You know that if you aren't there in what may very well be his dying moments that you'll regret that the rest of your life. So let me take you to him, I'll come back and stay with Winry and Sara."

Not needing to be told twice, Alphonse made a hurried break for a set of clothes to change and in minutes he was was yanking on his jacket and heading out the door with Hawkeye. Hawkeyes's words had given him the push he needed, so that if Ed were to die that night; he would be there till the end.

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**There we are, sorry for the wait. I wanted to get this up a lot sooner but was not able to. I plan to get the next one up sooner. Hope you liked this chapter, be ready for the next!**


	6. Sudden Revelations

**I'm back! So soon? I know haha, I felt inspired and had to get another chapter up. Hope you enjoy!**

**Fullmetal Alchemist belongs to Hiromu Arakawa.**

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Alphonse felt as though he were going crazy, the waiting for some kind of good news was like torture. For 4 hours he had been waiting for some sort of good news. Edward had gone into cardiac arrest three times since he had been there but somehow after a couple of shocks by the crash kit he was back to them. Al swore that by the time they were out of the hospital he would have gray hair. Glancing over at the Führer, Al noted that he wasn't doing much better.

After what seemed like years, a doctor approached them looking flustered. "Mr. Elric, Führer," he greeted them. With a sigh and his hands in his pockets he spoke, "I have to tell you gentlemen, that friend of yours is one hell of a fighter."

At that statement Alphonse and Mustang practically leapt to their feet.

"So he's okay," questioned Al.

The doctor gave a tight smile, "Let's just say he has gotten past the worst of it. Six times he went into cardiac arrest and each time we thought might be the last but he just kept pulling through. After the last one we found that his fever was going down somewhat. It's still higher than we would like it but he is out of ICU. I've never seen a patient crash so many times only to come back every time. And honestly in the state that his body is in he should have died months ago. It's astounding, so feel fortunate that your Edward has decided now is not his time."

Alphonse nodded wordlessly and then asked, "What was it that made him keep going into cardiac arrest?"

The doctor frowned, "Well he seems to be missing some major immunities that help people fight off sickness. Which means everything in his body is weak, including his heart. We're not quite sure what exactly made his heart stop so many times but we do know it is related to his incident with human transmutation years ago."

There was a small silence as both men processed this new information.

Roy spoke up then, "Are we allowed to go see him?"

The doctor nodded but hestitated in leaving, "I have to tell you something gentlemen, before you go to see him."

Alphonse tensed slightly, already not liking where this was going.

"I've heard about Mr. Elric's condition and I ran a general diagnotsitc and check up on him before coming out here and... well," he trailed off momentarily, "it will be pure luck if he makes it into the new year. With the holidays being only a couple of weeks away, I would take what time is given with him left as precious moments."

Roy eyes were narrowed, "So you're saying by your best estimate that Edward will die before the holidays?"

The doctor shook his head, "No Führer, sir, I'm telling you that he will most likely pass away on the day of, my doubts are high however if he can make it that long. His body is very frail, I fear that if he gets another illness such as this again it'll be a sign that the end is near."

Both men were silenced.

The doctor bowed slightly, "My apologies for delivering the somber news, you can go see him in room 304." With that he walked away.

Al and Roy met each other's eyes and there they both knew they had to tell everyone. This would be their final year with Edward, that much was clear. They had to cherish every moment given to them. With a nod to each other they moved on to Edward's room.

Upon entrance to the room, both of them immediately looked to the bed and saw how pale Ed was.

Alphonse couldn't hide the despair he felt at seeing his brother in such a state. This was not supposed to happen, everything was supposed to be fine after they had gotten their bodies back! It was then he noticed the molten gold eyes watching him cautiously. "Ed..." his quiet voice was loud in the near silence of the room.

Ed cracked a small and weak smile, "Hey Al..." He looked over to the room's other occupant, "Hey Roy..."

Roy sighed and stepped forward, "You certainly know how to keep my heart strong and working fully Fullmetal. Damn near gave _me_ a heart attack, then you wouldn't have been the only one in the hospital."

Ed laughed lightly, quieting immediately after, "I'm going to die soon, aren't I?"

Alphonse and Roy's eyes widened in response. "How did you..."

The golden blonde scoffed, "My senses may be dulled and I might be weak but that doesn't mean I've lost all of my knowledge. I can see the signs, the way you two seem to hang onto my every word and how you look at me with a lost expression. Besides, I can feel that things are getting bad. I feel weaker than ever before." He coughed from talking so much but quickly drank the water he had on hand. "So," he began again, "how long?"

Al and Roy were quiet.

Ed's automail arm clenched, "Dammit, how long?!"

Knowing that Al would not be able to bring himself to say, Roy stepped in, "The doctor's believe you'll be incredibly lucky to make it to the holidays..."

Ed's face was pained but he took the news wordlessly. At length he nodded and then smiled gently, "Well guess I'll just have to make due with the time given to me. It's just the price I paid for my choices is all." He sat back in the bed, "Damn you Truth..."

This grabbed the attention of both Roy and Alphonse. Was he finally going to talk about what he gave up?

"Truth is a sneaky bastard," Ed continued, "it wouldn't even let me go until it had everything it wanted. I had thought it meant merely it wanted to keep the arm and leg it had grown so fond of. But, it meant so much more. I don't even know how I understood what it had meant when it had said it wanted something more. I just... did." He sighed tiredly, "I hadn't thought back then what giving up what I did would mean... I should have thought harder about that."

Alphonse and Roy both were surprised that Ed had told so much. They hadn't gotten so much information in two long years.

Ed slumped and slowly fell into an uneasy sleep after that. Roy had to leave not long after, some duty of some sort being the cause of his departure.

Al sat watching over his brother, worries endlessly filling his mind. He feared the future because he knew whatever was to come, the death of his brother would be part of it.

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**Yay got another chapter up already, I feel accomplished! I'm going to try and get another one up either later today or tomorrow, so stay posted!**

**R&R if you want!**


	7. The End is Near

**Back again! I got a lot of feedback and I tried my hardest to upload another chapter today! Lucky readers you :P**

**Fullmetal Alchemist belongs to Hiromu Arakawa.**

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When Roy returned to Ed's room he was surprised to see the two brothers sound asleep. Alphonse had pulled over a chair and was sleeping with his arms on the bed. Ed was situated in the pillows and blankets around him, a relaxed look on his face. The Führer couldn't help his smile, they might be grown men now but they still had an innocence about them when they slept. He figured if Hughes had been present he would've been snapping photo after photo.

Roy decided to stay for awhile to see if either would wake so he settled into a chair and breathed deeply, thinking about the past few days. He subconsciously rubbed at his eyes, feeling the effects of the recent events. When he had taken up the job of Führer, he couldn't have imagined that taking care of Edward would be part of it. Really the decision to care for the elder Elric had been all his own, that decision having come from the very first incident; the first sign that something was very wrong.

He shuddered at the memory. That day had been a slow one, Ed had still been living in the military quarters in Central then, Al had moved out to Resembool with Winry after getting his body back. He had decided to check up on some things and had happened to go past the room he knew Ed had been living in. On a split second decision he had found himself knocking and eventually opening the door to find a sight he would never forget. Roy grimaced, never again did he want to see such a sight.

The room had been dark, the only light coming from outside the door. There, face-down in the center of the room, lay Edward. Blood surrounded him, and it looked as though he had fallen. Roy vividly remembered his panic and utter fear at the thought that someone had killed Edward, it had been a terrifying moment for him. He didn't remember much after that, just the blur of the commotion that followed when he called for someone to get medics. He had rushed to Ed's side, checking for a pulse, there had been one however weak it was.

The dark haired Führer allowed himself to look over at Edward, to make sure that he was alright. He nodded to himself after seeing that the boy, no man, was. Another thing he had to ponder, when had the two Elric boys grown up to be men? It had seemed like only a couple of weeks ago that he was helping them gain their bearings on military life and protocol so they could use their new found resources correctly. He laughed at himself, now he really was starting to sound old.

The sound of the door opening interrupted any further thoughts he might have had. Looking up he was surprised to see none other than Hughes standing there. "Hughes," he called out quietly with question in his voice.

The man smiled and sat beside him, "Hey buddy, long time no see."

Mustang chuckled, "You too, but what are you doing here?"

Maes gave him an exasperated look, "Did you honestly think I wouldn't come when I heard what had happened?"

The Führer looked at him fully now, "How did you hear?"

"Chill Roy err Führer," he replied, "Riza brought Winry and Sara over once they had woken up so that they wouldn't be alone with no one to talk to since she was keeping watch for anything. I could tell immediately that something was wrong and I asked Winry about it and all she did was give me the note that you had left for Alphonse. Then I asked Riza about it and she told me the rest. And now I'm here. I guess they just fell asleep then?"

Roy shrugged, "I guess, I had to go take care of a few things after Ed fell asleep earlier." He paused as he remembered the conversation he and Alphonse had had with the man. "You were right Hughes," he commented quietly.

"About what?"

"How perceptive Edward is."

The men met eyes then, they both knew how intelligent the elder Elric was but they had not known quite how good his perception abilities were until the experienced it for themselves. They then broke eye contact and sighed.

"I told you," Maes commented after a moment.

No reply was given nor needed, they both knew what would have been said even though it was not said.

Their silence was comfortable, both observing the two sleeping brothers.

It was Hughes that broke the silence, "I've never seen Edward so weak before. It's scary to think about that these are his final days..."

Roy felt his mood turn bitter, he didn't even want to think about it. Ed was dying, it was more or less official now. He knew that in a way Ed's body was giving up before Ed was. He knew it well but it didn't help the fact that everyone's beloved blondie was dying. "It's always hard for me to think about," Roy admitted quietly, "after two years of taking care of him I had gotten used to him being around and then I learn that he'll either die before the holidays or during them it is just so... sudden..."

Maes looked over at his friend and clearly saw just how much this was affecting the man. He patted the other's leg and stood, "This will be hard for all of us, especially since none of us want to say goodbye anytime soon." He dusted imaginary dust off on his pant leg and turned to flash a sad smile at the other, "We all know what you're feeling Roy, don't keep it in, okay?" With a small salute the man was gone.

Roy sighed and settled back into his chair.

"I had no idea I making everybody feel bad," a quiet voice sounded from the bed.

The dark haired Führer jumped slightly, his eyes shooting to the occupant in the hospital bed, "Ed..."

Ed's normally confident molten gold eyes were shiny and sad, "I'm such a horrible person... Why is it everything I do somehow hurts everyone around me? I am so terrible..."

Roy nearly leapt to his feet and to the other's side, "Stop it Ed. Don't do this to yourself." He brought the golden haired man into a comforting embrace, "Don't blame yourself for something that you can't control."

Edward looked at him with glassy gold eyes and then broke down into sobs. He hated himself, he was a weakling, a nuisance. "I-I'm so pathetic..." he said in between sobs.

Roy felt his heart clench tightly as the man in his arms cried. This was the man who had gone through the gate more times than any other person in the world and come out unscathed, who faced countless homunculi and dangers; now a broken visage of what he had once been. Roy felt his own eyes sting at the thought, time and illness had broken Edward down from the proud person he had been only two years before. And he had been powerless to stop it. He held Ed closer, a tiny amount of tears escaping his own eyes, "I'm sorry Ed, I'm sorry..."

Ed clung to the Führer like he was his lifeline. His chest hurt from his sobs but he couldn't stop, that's all he felt anymore. Pain, everywhere in his body, all the time. He would never admit it to anyone but he liked being unconscious so that he would have peace from the never ending pain. It was nothing any known medicine could rid of either, he had tried everything he knew of but nothing worked for him. Eventually he had learned to think of other things but it only helped for so long. He was a miserable mess, he decided, a whiney, pathetic and miserable mess. "It h-hurts Roy..." he said, "it hurts s-so much..."

Roy could only nod and hold the blonde closer. He noticed a movement from the room's other occupant and looked over at him.

Alphonse too looked ready to cry but he had a strong hold on his emotions and instead hugged his brother much like Roy was. His voice was tight with his concealed emotion, "Let it out brother... don't hold it in anymore."

Alphonse and Roy stayed like that, holding the sobbing blonde until he eventually cried himself to sleep. They kept close after that, not daring to leave the room for any reason.

Alphonse held his head in his hands, fingers tangled in his untidy hair. "I can't take it when he gets like that," Al murmured, "it's just too much."

Wordlessly, Mustang nodded. His own heart ached at the mere thought of Ed's broken eyes.

It was hard on both of them to see the man that usually carried himself with dignity, grace and confidence so weak and broken; reduced to an ill shell of what he had once been. It became very clear to both of them at that point that the end was very near, too near for their liking. Ed had admitted to being in pain which was something he only did when the pain got to a point where he could no longer bear it.

The end of Edward Elric's story was no longer coming. It was here.

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**Dramatic ending, neh? I am thinking two or three more chapters after this and we'll be at the end. Thank you for your continued support! I really like all of the supportive reviews I have been getting, it makes me feel good. :)**

**R&R if you want dear readers!**


	8. Beginning of the End

**Again, good feedback made me write faster. Thank you dear reviewers! We are closing in on the ending to this story. I would say two or three chapters more for sure, probably two. The thing I'm working on now is getting from our position now to the ending I already know about. I actually planned the ending before writing all of this. Odd I know. Anyway, thank you for the continued reading! Hope you enjoy this next chapter!**

**Fullmetal Alchemist belongs to Hiromu Arakawa.**

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The past few weeks had been busy and stressful for everyone. Ed had come home from the hospital but was still very weak but everyone knew that he was fighting his hardest in his last days. They were hoping that the doctors were wrong but as the time came closer to the holidays it became all too clear that the doctors were indeed right. However hard the situation was, it didn't dim the light from the holidays. Even Ed seemed to get a little more energy at the mention of the holidays.

Plans were made that everyone would gather at the Hughes' apartment for the party. As the day came closer, everyone grew more on edge. Ed had shown no signs of being any worse but he was still bad off. They couldn't help but be cautiously optimistic about that fact.

On the day of the party, the tension could have been picked out of the air.

Roy helped Ed up the stairs to reach the Hughes' apartment. The blonde had gotten out of bed feeling fine but as he stayed up and moving around he quickly grew very weak. It startled the dark haired Führer to no end.

They had decided to arrive extra early so that Edward would have a chance to gain his bearings and settle in before everyone else arrived. A task that was turning out to be more difficult than anyone could have anticipated. Of course when it came to Edward Elric, nothing was ever easy. The pair steadily made it up to the apartment, Ed almost completely hanging onto Roy when they had made it up the stairs.

Roy held tightly onto the younger man while he reached with one hand to knock loud so he made sure he was heard. He quickly put his hand back to Ed to steady him.

The door opened widely to reveal Maes Hughes himself. Upon seeing Ed he moved aside and let Roy lead the weakened boy to the nearest seat. Roy set him down as gently as possible and helped him get comfortable in the chair. Letting out a sigh he kneeled before the blonde, "You alright now that you're off your feet? Or is it still bad?"

Ed's eyes held a look of bewilderment, "It's... It's getting better, it's just..." He was interupted by a deep cough, something that had been more common as of late. He clutched his shirt tightly around his chest as he coughed again.

Hughes behind the two winced at the sound. He had heard similar coughs from dying men; it scared him to hear such a thing from Edward. "How long has he had the cough Roy?" He didn't want to know but yet he did. If it had been over a week then it was not as concerning but if it were a newer development they would have to keep an eye on the elder Elric.

Roy seemed to tense at the question and then his shoulders sagged, "It only started a couple of days ago."

Maes immediately sensed Roy's distress at admitting that, he knew the feelings from Roy all too well. They had suffered through the war together, they both knew the signs of a dying man. As of that point Ed was showing all but one symptom. His heart clenched at the realization; Ed's end was very close now.

Gracia emerged from wherever she had been and after brushing her hand against her husband's she placed a hand on Roy's shoulder. She smiled down at Ed who was wearily gazing up at her, "It's good to see you Edward, we're very glad to have you around this year."

Ed smiled back, "Thanks Mrs. Hughes, it's good to see you too."

Roy studied the blonde carefully and immediately caught on to something; the more relaxed his environment, the better Ed felt. He nodded to himself and stood, telling Hughes of his find.

With a single moment of eye contact the two had agreed to make sure that Ed was as relaxed as possible.

Gracia was quietly speaking to Edward about something or other and then something peculiar happened. Little Elysia walked in still in her pajamas and with a tired yawn she climbed into Ed's lap and fell asleep.

Ed looked down at the little girl in wonder and then smiled softly. He situated himself differently so that the girl would be more comfortable. He had gotten used to Elysia and her sometimes odd antics thanks to Sara. Looking up to the others he found them all to be smiling at the duo fondly. He blushed slightly and asked for a blanket.

Gracia went around to the couch and pulled out a quilt. She placed it over the two blondes, making sure that Elysia still had her head poking out. Nodding to herself she moved back into the kitchen to no doubt continue on meal preparations.

Right as Roy was going to say something there was a knock on the door. Hughes patted the darker haired man's shoulder as he walked to the door. It opened to reveal Alphonse, Winry, Sara and Pinako.

All four of them had their arms full of presents and food items and so they all quickly entered to set their piles down.

Sara who only had a couple of things set her things down and ran to Edward, she too cuddling up into the elder's arms.

Ed let out a small laugh as he made room for the other small girl in his arms. Once they were settled, Ed noted that she fell asleep almost instantly. He looked up at the others, "What are you guys doing to your kids that is making them so tired?"

Maes laughed, "Elysia wanted to get up early to open her presents and after she was up for a couple of hours she fell back asleep."

Winry sat down slowly on the couch nearby, "Same with Sara, except she stayed up to help me bake the cookies."

Edward then looked to the shorter occupant of the room, "Hey Granny, long time no see."

Pinako nodded her head, "Indeed Ed, how have you been?" She wasn't ignorant, she knew the tell tale signs of severe illness and she saw them on the elder Elric. She thought back to how Trisha had appeared before she died and she let out a sad sigh, it was clear Ed's time was short.

Ed shrugged, settling back into the chair wearily, "Honestly I've been better, I could stand without the sickness I've had."

Pinako mentally agreed, "I think everyone wants something other than sickness when sick Ed. It's not surprising you want that too. How is the automail fairing?" She had noticed that he seemed worn down by it, maybe they needed lighter models for him after all.

Edward rubbed the back of his head, "It's alright, haven't been fighting or anything for a long time; it's just heavier than I remember it ever being."

Winry frowned, "Heavier? Ed that's one of the lighter models, your normal one.."

He clenched his automail hand and sighed, "I know but giving that I have very little energy and strength anymore it feels really heavy."

The small admittance sent silence through the room. No one wanted to hear that. They were shocked when he continued

"The ports have been aching a lot, my whole body has just been so heavy," he said with very evident weariness in his voice, "it feels like I'm being weighed down by my body. Everyday it just gets heavier and heavier. It has gotten to the point sometimes where I feel like I'm dragging some kind of invisible weight. It's just so tiresome, I feel tired and old."

Roy felt his unease grow with every word Ed said. His head screamed at him to embrace this last night with Ed because tomorrow he would be gone. And even though he didn't want to give in to such a thought; he knew it was true.

Ed remained silent for awhile before he told them to not worry about him but to just continue getting ready for everyone else to arrive. Eventually everyone complied having tried to push their worries away for the moment. They were lucky to be with Ed on this holiday season, they wouldn't trade that for the world.

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**Sorry this was a boring chapter, I'll try and make the next better. R&R if you want.**

**-Ghosties**


	9. The Letter

**Two chapters left! Hope this chapter is better for everyone as far as content and happenings. I tried harder on this.**

**Fullmetal Alchemist belongs to Hiromu Arakawa.**

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Ed watched the activities with tired eyes, the rest of the 'family' had arrived not long after Winry, Pinako and Alphonse. That family included Riza, Havoc, Fuery, Ling, Lan Fan, May Chang, Izumi and Sig, Paninya and Sheska. All of them were bustling about the apartment, all trying to get something done. He didn't dare say anything about how he was feeling though, not wanting to spoil the cheerful and spirited mood of the room. At one point he asked Gracia for a pad of paper and a pen so he could write something down. Little did she know that he planned to make it his goodbye letter.

He knew this night would be the one, he didn't have to be smart to know that. His body felt heavy, his breathing was difficult; even his instincts seemed to know that this was the end. He managed to sit himself up better and begin writing, already knowing the letter would have to be long to address eveything he needed to. With a deep sigh, Ed began.

_Dear friends and family,_

_It would seem that even though I have defied what doctors have said for years, this night was not the one I could fight. My pains and feelings had been different when I woke up this morning, I knew from the moment I awoke that this day was to be my last. I know it is inevitable but I beg you to not grieve too much over my passing, you all have very long lives ahead of you full of hope, adventure and love. While I may not be there to share that bright and brilliant future with you all know that I will be there in spirit. I will try to explain what has happened for me over the past two years but it will not be in great detail as I feel my energy fading me by the moment._

_From the moment that Al and I entered the gate once more to get our bodies back I knew that it wouldn't be easy. What I didn't expect was just how unpredictable Truth can be. When I was held back to speak to him I knew that it would want more than I had offered. It smirked and more or less lectured me on how I couldn't get away with what I had done. It wanted more. I told it to keep my arm and leg but it wanted still more. It hinted at me for something else and I honestly can't say how I knew but I just knew what it wanted. I still don't completely know what I gave up but from the dreams I had where Truth gave me a little visit I gather that it had to relate to any immunity against sickness but also it was more or less a deal. I would make it through two years of suffering to atone for my past mistakes and in return the last few hours of my life would be without the pain I have dealt with for these past two years._

_That leads to another point, yes, I have been hiding just how sick I have been. For 6 months I have been throwing up blood and been in immense pain but I hid it from you all for good reason. I knew that should I tell anything you would all insist I be hospitalized and put on pain medication but in all honesty I felt that taking such a path would be cheating. I know it sounds crazy but that is just how I felt on it. The automail has been heavier than I ever remember even though the models are the lightest possible (thank you Winry/Granny). Pain has kind of become irrelevant to me now since I have felt such constant pains for so long. Please forgive me for doing this, it was just how I thought and acted._

_Perhaps another thing I should admit to you all is that recently I have been seeing my mother in my dreams. Al, I know you will freak out automatically about that but just wait a moment before you do. Whenever I see her the pain is lifted from my body like a blanket off of someone. I feel so light and carefree in those dreams. Al, she has been watching over us ever since she died, she told me there isn't a day that goes by where she isn't watching over us. Last night she told me that she loves us, so make peace with that knowledge in your head little brother._

_I will miss all of you, you have all quickly evolved into a large family for me and I want you all to know I hold you all very close to my heart. Our time together has been much shorter than anticipated but know that if there is an afterlife as mom says that I will be watching from the background for all of you. I may not be there in physical form, but I will always be with you all spiritually. I know being alchemists we don't really accept religious views readily but as I sit here preparing for my inevitable death I find myself believing._

_As sort of a last request I ask for you all to remember me as the person I was before; healthy, lighthearted and energetic. Don't look back and think of me as just Edward Elric the man who couldn't fight death. Think of me as the Fullmetal Alchemist. Remember me in all forms but if you have to picture me; picture me as healthy and happy. I also ask that my military alchemist watch be given to Alphonse. Keep it as a memoir for us Al. Enjoy your children, if they show an affinity for alchemy don't be afraid to teach them; just make sure they don't follow in our footsteps. Every single one of you deserves a vacation, for the love of everything take a freaking holiday to just relax._

_Enjoy the life you have been given and know that every moment is precious and should be cherished. It may have taken me a little too long to realize but I have cherished the moments I felt memorable. I shall keep them and all of you close to me._

_Alphonse - I know it will hurt you having me leave you behind but try to get past that fact and face the future with a light heart and open mind. We have been there for each other in the most impossible situations, carrying each other through thick and thin, fighting for our goals with all we had. I truly could not have made it as far as I have without you little brother. When you were first born I was unsure of having you around but as we grew I realized that I couldn't have gotten a better gift. Thank you Alphonse, thank you so much for being there with me through our many adventures and journeys together and mostly thank you for having been born. I love you littler brother, never forget that._

_Roy - Take a damn vacation. You may be Führer but that doesn't mean you can't take some time for yourself. Thanks for caring for me these past two years, I know they must have been hell for you. You probably have gray hairs because of me, but know that I appreciated all of the help. Also thank you for putting up with me for so many years before._

_Winry - Take care of Al for me. I know I don't have to tell you to do so but I have to make sure as his big brother that someone watches out for him. Please make sure he and Sara don't spend too much time on my passing, same goes for you. You two have a family to care for. Sorry I couldn't be there for the birth of the other, I'll be on the lookout for the little monster's birth though. Love you sister._

_Granny - Don't join mom and I too soon in the afterlife. I hope to see you a long time from now. Keep the family strong for me. Love you. Thanks for all the automail repairs and such too._

_Hughes and Gracia - Thank you ever so much for always caring for Al and I. We may have dragged you all into some sticky situations but you always were insistent on helping and I appreciate it so much. I hope your lives are happy and peaceful, you need it to be. Good luck in any of your future endeavors._

_Teacher and Sig - You two are probably one of the oddest couples I have ever seen but yet you work so well together, it really is inspiring. Thank you so much for opening your home to Al and I all those years ago, I know we gave you quite the scare sometimes but we really couldn't have done it without you._

_Ling, Lan-Fan, May - I'm glad you all aren't fighting anymore. You all deserve happiness in life. I'm proud to have gotten to know you three, however crazy the situations may have been. Make sure you keep contact with everyone, you're all part of the family now._

_Paninya and Sheska - Keep on with how you are. Don't ever be ashamed of who you are or what you do because you are both great. Anyone who thinks otherwise is stupid. Don't listen to stupid people._

_Havoc, Fuery and Riza - Thank you all for helping Al and I. I will never forget your help. Keep on keeping on._

_I suppose I will close now. The pain has all but vanished now so my time must be short. Thank you everyone for being a part of my life and for helping Alphonse and I get through our past struggles. I love you all and I will miss you greatly._

_-Edward Elric_

Ed let his hand rest as he finished the letter. He felt as though a huge weight had been lifted off of him. He relaxed against the chair, watching the bustle of everyone lazily. They were all smiling and laughing together, it was the perfect thing to see if you were to die any minute. Ed found himself smiling with them, even though their words sounded like muffled noise to him. He felt himself fading. His hand reached out to grab onto Alphonse's hand as he passed by.

Ed lifted his gaze to Al and he smiled, "I love you little brother."

Alphonse gave a puzzled look but he smiled back, "Love you too brother."

Ed let him go as Winry called to him. Looking around at the dear and familiar faces of his family he found himself becoming more and more relaxed. He clutched the letter he had written to him, his head resting on the headrest of the chair he had situated himself into. Tilting his head to the side he let his eyes fall closed, knowing that the sight of his family would surely be his last. A comforted and peaceful smile worked onto his face as he took his last few breaths. _Goodbye..._

Finally after two long years of suffering, the great Fullmetal Alchemist, Edward Elric, passed away silently into the night; surrounded by family and love.

In the kitchen, Alphonse let out a gasp as a sharp pain struck his heart. His eyes wandered into the general direction of Edward, worry going through him.

~Later that Night~

Everyone was gathered in the dining room and kitchen, eating to their heart's content. Everyone but a pair of brothers. Alphonse was kneeled in front of his brother's chair, clutching his cold and limp hand. His bright eyes shown with unshed tears.

"I felt like the time had come..." he murmured to his brother, "that pain I felt was distinctive. It was like a part of me had died, and that part was you b-brother..." He wiped his eyes as a few tears rolled down his cheeks.

Giving a small sniffle he gathered his brother's body up and laid him on the couch, carefully taking the letter from his hands and then placing them on top of each other on his chest. Al then covered him with a blanket, leaving his head and shoulders out. He sat back and bowed his head, "Goodnight brother..."

When he peered up again, his cheeks were stained with tears. He reluctantly read through the letter, making sure to cherish every word. Ed had known alright. It looks like he wrote the letter just in time too.

Alphonse felt a hand on his shoulder but he gave no reaction to it.

"He's gone, isn't he," a deep voice questioned, evidently thick with emotion.

The blonde gave a slight nod, not trusting his words.

Roy stepped from behind him and placed a hand on Edward's cold forehead, "Be seeing you around Fullmetal."

His dark eyes trailed to the younger Elric, "Well... at least he died with a smile on his face, right Al?"

Alphonse smiled tearfully.

The two men looked at Edward's face with admiration. The elder Elric had indeed passed away with a brilliant smile upon his face, proving to them that what he had said in the letter was true, his final hours were without the pain he had experienced for so long. Finally Edward was at peace.

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**THAT'S NOT THE END! There shall be one chapter more and then we'll be at the end :) Thanks for putting up with the wait. It took me forever to formulate that letter.**

**R&R if you want.**


	10. Epilogue: 20 Years Later

**FINAL CHAPTER! It has been a long and fantastic journey together. Thank you for supporting this story to its conclusion. And now, friends, I give you our final chapter.**

**Fullmetal Alchemist belong to Hiromu Arakawa.**

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Twenty years had gone by since Edward's passing. Everyone was older now, but most were still living. Pinako had passed away eight years ago from old age. Izumi too had passed away after a series of bad illnesses just four years before.

Roy remained Führer but as of late his days were taken up with going through the possible canidates for Führer after him. During his time he had lifted the ban off of military relationships and had immediately gotten together with Riza and he had also made a preliminary presentation to be shown to alchemists before their entrance exam to make sure they knew what they were getting into.

Hughes and Gracia had two more children, both girls; named Janessa and Eileen. Maes made sure he always had pictures to show everyone his precious girls.

Ling and Lan-Fan were married, becoming the Emperor and Empress of Xing. May started up an orphanage for children in Xing, eventually another in Amestris. She adopted over six children, never having found a suitable man.

Alphonse and Winry had three more children, the first was a boy born on Edward's birthday, they named him Lawrence. The second was another girl whom they named Trisha. The third and final child was one of a pair of twins but the twin died from heart complications, but since this twin survived and defied the odds, they only found it right to name him Edward.

Now twenty years later, Alphonse found himself doing as his brother had done so all those years ago; he was fighting death.

Nine years before he had found out he had cancer, what form the doctors had no idea. But with some lucky treatment, the doctors eradicated the cancer. This however left the remaining Elric looking older than he was and very worn out. Only a year ago the cancer came back with a vengence, leaving Alphonse bedridden most of the time. The blonde found himself unable to fight any longer.

Alphonse was surrounded by the same friends and family that had mourned over Edward's passing so many years before, he wondered if this is how his brother had felt; in pain but the light and love from his family kept the pain at bay. He smiled up at all of them, "Thank you everyone for being here with me..."

As he looked to Winry and their children he felt remorseful, he was leaving them behind to carry on without him. He smiled to them all though, knowing that they would be there for each other no matter what. As he kept looking at the faces of his loved ones he noticed two extras. His eyes widened as he saw two people he hadn't in a very long time.

There stood his brother, looking exactly as he remembered him. Edward smiled softly at him, "You couldn't wait another 20 years to see me little brother?"

Trisha too smiled at him, "It's okay Alphonse, it's okay to move on now. They'll be okay."

Alphonse took in their words in silence and as he let his eyes slide shut he murmured out, "I love you all..."

When he reopened his eyes again he felt lighter but he was still on the bed. He looked around and noticed everyone was either crying or standing with bowed heads. Al was utterly confused. Then a hand was held in front of him, offering to help him stand. His eyes followed the arm to the owner and he found Edward smiling at him.

"Come on little brother, stand up," he chided softly.

Al grabbed his hand and stood from the bed, turning to see his body laying peacefully on the bed where he had just been. His gaze turn questioning as he looked to Edward, "Brother what's going on...?"

Ed too looked at the bed, "This is the afterlife Al." He put his hand's on the younger's shoulders, golden eyes shining, "Come on, this isn't our place, besides there are some people I want you to see."

Together the brother walked into the bright white light that had appeared behind them. When they made it through the two were met by the sight of their lost loved ones waiting for them. Granny Pinako, Izumi, Trisha, Hohenheim, Nina, Alexander, Sara and Urey Rockbell and many others.

Al gasped and looked to his brother who was smiling peacefully at him.

Trisha and Hohenheim embraced him as Edward looked on with an ever present smile.

"Welcome home Al."

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**THE END!**

**Thank you for following this story to its conclusion. Hope this short but sweet epilogue was worth your read. Thank you for the wonderful reviews that kept me going. Perhaps I'll see you all next time I write a Fullmetal Alchemist story. :)**

**~Ghosties**


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